Garment pressing machine



2 SheefiS-ShGet 1 7/ v lll Ill/49/11/lQ f I in 1 W 4 u .1 )5 v; a) J 3 Hr I ATT INVENTOR Argus If Murray July 7, 1936. A. F. HANNEY' GARMENT PRESSIiG MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1933 7, 1935- A. F. HANNEY 2,046,780 L GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE;

Filed Aug. s, 1953 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTOR /Iyw I Mme I ATTORNEYJ.

.Patent ed July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,814

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a. control mechanism for pressing machines such as'are used in the pressing of garments and laundry work.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simple control mechanism whereby the operator moves one control member and thereafter the other movements for the closing of the press take place automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 19 second control member which acts as a guard to prevent injury to the operator's hands during the closing of the press, and which is actuated by the operator for the normal opening operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide 5 simple controls for cross or tandem operation of two presses, whereby the movement of a control member for one press causes the opening opera.- tion of the other press.

A further object of the invention is to provide 20 one control member having two positions, the first of which controls the press for individual operation and the second of which controls-a second press in tandem operation.

g A further object of the invention is the provi- 25 sion of simple automatic means for exhausting moisture from the pressing bed.

Other objects and advantages of the mechanism will be obvious from the following description of the drawings and specification, and the so essential features of which are summarized in the claims. In my copending divisional applica tion Ser. No. 705,279, filed January 4, l934,will be found claims relating to the means for exhausting moisture from the pressing bed and for 35 creating a fluid flow therethrough. V

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view or a pressing machine somewhat diagrammatic in form which shows an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the release cylinder and op- 40 crating parts associated therewith; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary views along the corresponding- 1:; numbered lines of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the pressing bed or buck along the line t--S of Fig. 7; Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the buck along the line 'l-l of Fig. 6; while Fig. 8 is a side elevation somewhat diagrammatic in form showing two presses connected for cross or tandem operation.

I have chosen to illustrate my control mechanism as applied to a press of the type disclosed, described and claimed in the co-pending applica tion of John P. Singiser, Ser. No. 683,322, filed August 2, 1933, although it will be understood that the mechanism is applicable to any pressing machine having coacting relatively pressing elements.

A complete description of the construction and operation of the press here illustrated will be found in the above mentioned application and 5 only suflicient description will be given here to permit an understanding ofthe operation of the control mechanism. The press comprises a suitableframe I 0 supporting two'coacting pressing movable 'members, a head II and a bedor buck l2, the 10 head being supported in fixed position and the bed being supported on' a carriage l3 equipped with rollers M which travel on rails l5 permitting the buck to have a translatory motion in a substantially horizontal direction'from and into 15.

registering position beneath the head. The bed is provided with a stem I6 extending downwardly in a bearing ll of the carriage which permits a I limited'vertical movement of the bed with respect to its carriage. Translatpry movement of the bed is provided by a fluid pressure operated translation motor comprising a cylinder l8 having a suitable piston and a piston rod 20. The piston rod is connected to the buck carriage by link 2|, cranks 22 and 23 pivoting about the shaft 24, and 25 link 25 connected to the carriage. As viewed in Fig. 1, movement of the piston l9 to the right will move the bed 82 into registering position beneath the head. The return movement of the bed to its outer or open position is caused by spring 26 connected by crank 21 to the shaft 24.

When the pressing members are in registration, the bed is raised substantially vertically from its carriage and is pressed against the head by a second fluid motor comprising a piston 28 in a cylinder 29 mounted on the frame beneath the head. This motor is hereinafter referred to as the reciprocation motor. The piston rod 30 contacts the stem it thus raising the bed.

The control mechanism comprises, in general, inlet and outlet valves for the control of the fiow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the translation motor, and these valves are operated by a control member having an operating handle conveniently positioned for the operator. Nor- I mal movement of this control handle closes the outlet and opens the inlet valve admitting fluid pressure to the translation motor, which causes the bed to move into registering position with the head. Suitable devices, actuated by the movement of the bed into registering position, cause movement of the control valves for the reciprocation motor, thus causing the press to close. The movement of the control valves for both motors in press-opening direction is caused by release means operated by fluid pressure from the main supply line. The control valve for the release means is actuated by a swinging guard depending beiore the head in a position to be struck by the operator's hands if they are resting upon the buck as it moves toward its pressing position. In this case, the guard operates as an emergency release member, but in the regular operation of the press also, movement of the guard rearwardly is utilized to actuatethe control valves to open the press.

In Fig. 1 the exhaust valve3| and the inlet valve 32 for the cylinder I3 of the translation motor are operated by cam 33 mounted on the oscillatable control shaft 34 having a control handle 35. Normal movement of the control handle to position 35A (Fig. 3) closes valve 3| and opens valve 32 which admits fluid pressure from the main supplyline through conduit 'Il to cylinder It thus causing translatory movement of the bed into registration with the head. 36 is the exhaust valve and 31 the inlet valve for cylinder 29. They are operated through lever 38, link 33, bell crank 40, link 4|, bell crank 42, link 43 and interlock arm 44 which carries a follower 45 which in turn presses against a cam 46 mounted on the carriage |3. A notch 41 will be noted in the cam 43 and when the bed reaches registering position, the follower moves into the notch 41 impelled by a spring 48 acting through bell crank 42 and its attached linkage so that the interlock lever moves in a clockwise direction. This moves bell crank 40 in a like direction and moves link 33 to the right, which closes the valve 36 and opens the inlet valve 31 admitting pressure from the main pressure supply conduit through conduit 90 to cylinder 29. Piston 28 rises and its rod 30 contacts stem l6 of the bed, causingreciprocatory movement of the bed toward the head.

For opening the press, power operated means is provided for reversing the position of valves 3| and 32 and also of valves 36 and 31. The means illustrated comprises a release cylinder 49 supplied with a suitable piston and rod 50 which in the releasing operation moves upwardly contacting an arm 5| pivoted at 52 to the frame and having an oppositely extending arm 53 rigid therewith. This construction is more clearly seen in Fig. 2, where the shaft 34 is shown provided with a flanged collar 54 adapted to be contacted by the arm 5| as it moves upwardly. The position of collar 54 when the control lever has been moved in the press closing position is shown in broken lines, Fig. 2 and the movement of the lever 5| upwardly returns the collar to the full line position, thus closing inlet valve 32 and opening outlet valve 3| and exhausting the fluid pressure from cylinder. i8. Spring 26 is then efl'ective to move the bed to its outer position. Referring again to Fig. 2, the end of lever 53 is loosely mounted to theupper portion of the rod. assembly 4| in a lost motion connection in the form of a slot 55. When the rod 4| is elevated, by operation of the interlock arm 44 in clockwise direction as above described, the rod 4| moves upwardly without any effect on the position of lever 53, but pin 56 of the lever comes into approximate engagement with the lower end of slot 55. Thereafter, when fluid pressure moves lever 5| upwardly, lever 53 at the same time moves downwardly, moving the rod assembly 4| downwardly which causes closing of the inlet-valve 31 and opening of the outlet valve 36, thus exhausting cylinder 23. The piston 28,

rod 30 and bed I 2 move downwardly due to the weight of the parts. i

The supply of fluid pressure to release cylinder,

48 is controlled by release valve 51 which communicates with the main pressure supply line through conduit 31'. The release valve is actuated by engagement of its stem with contact arm 53 which abuts the guard 58 in its freely depending position before the head. Movement of the guard 53 rearwardly opens valve 51 admitting pressure to cylinder 49 through conduit 60. This actuates piston and rod 50 as above described. A check valve 8| prevents flow of fluid pressure beyond that point.

For cross or tandem operation of two presses, an extra air valve is provided on one press which is actuated simultaneously with the admission of pressure to the translation motor of that press and admits air to the release cylinder of a. second press, thereby causing the second press to open so that it is ready for the operator by the time she has moved from one machine to the other.

The arrangement shown comprises a valve .62

mounted in line with valves 3| and 32 and adapted to be actuated by a cam 63 mounted on the shaft 34. The cam has a projecting portion 63' shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Ordinarily, this cam 63 is not moved sufliciently for projection 63' to actuate valve 62 when the control handle 35 is moved normally to actuate the press for individual operation. This is more clearly shown in Fig. 3 where 35A is the first or normal position of the control handle corresponding to individual press operation, to which position it is moved to actuate only cam 33 controlling the valves 3| and 32. The second or abnormal or tandem position 353 is the position to which the handle is moved to rotate cam 83 just sufliciently to cause projection 63' to actuate valve 62. Valve 62, being open, admits fluid pressure from the main pressure supply through conduit 64, through valve 62 and conduit 65 which communicates with the release cylinder 49 of the second press. I have thus provided a very simple control for either individual press operation or tandem operation. The operator need learn but two positions of a single control handle.

I have also provided a bed or buck which is arranged for the automatic exhaustion of moisture from the interior thereof. This bed or buck comprises in general a hollow member with a bottom sloping to a common drainage point, and having upstanding ribs 10 extending longitudinally of the buck upon which lies a heavy wire fabric II for supporting the covering or padding of the buck. The ribs have passages 12 therethrough adjacent the sloping bottom 13 which leads to a flexible discharge conduit 14 which is automatically connected for discharge of the moisture contents in the lower part'oi the bed upon completion of the pressing operation. Suction for this moisture exhausting operation is provided by utilizing the exhaust from one of the fluid motors which moves the buck toward the head. To this end, the outlet conduit 15 from exhaust valve 3| oi. the translation motor is connected to an ejector arrangement 16 so that upon opening the outlet valve 3| to open the press, the fluid exhausting from cylinder i8 will pass through conduit l1, valve 3|, conduit 15, and ejector 16, causing a suction in conduit 18. This conduit communicates with a coupling member I9 mounted on the frame of the press in a position to coact with a similar member 80 on the bed connected with the discharge conduit 14, thus The structure illustrated for the coupling memhers I! and 80 is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The

member 80 has a projection I! mounted for limited horizontal movement in a guide '83. The

member is spring-pressed toward member 19 by a spring N. A ball-check valve 85 normally closes the outlet from conduit ll. When the pressing members are in. pressing position, a-

plunger 86 moves valve 85 from, its seat, thus establishing communication between conduits II and I8.

This moisture exhausting mechanism will operate whether the moisture'is substantially allv vapor, or substantially all condensate, or a mixture oi vapor and condensate. .The buck illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 is a cold buck and will condense part or substantially all of the entering vapor depending on working conditions. The covering or padding of the buck is, ofcourse, porous. Moisture from the work lying on the buck is converted into vapor by heat from the pressing head and passes into the interior of the hollow buck. There it is condensed and passes out through conduit 14, coupling members 80 and I9, and conduit 18 drawn by the suction created by ejector 16, which in turn throws the condensate against heated element 85, which evaporates it so that it passes into the atmosphere.

The operation of a single press is as follows:

The operator arranges the lay of the work on bed i2 and moves the control handle 35 to its first or normal position 35A.

Thereupon cam 33 closes valve 3| and opens valve 32 admitting fluid pressure from the main supply conduit through conduits 64 and H to cylinder it, thus moving piston l9 forwardly and, through the connecting linkage, causing bed M to move rearwardly into registering position.

beneath the head it. When the pressing members reach registering position, interlock arm at moves clockwise when follower 45 moves into notch 61 of cam it under the influence of spring so. This interlock arm through connections 53, 42, ti, so and till actuatos lever 38 to close valve to and open valve ill, thus admitting fluid pressure from the main supply conduit through con= duit so to cylinder 29. Piston 28 and rod it are raised, contacting stem i6 and raising bed i2 into pressure engagement with head 86. -Upon completion of the pressing operatiomihe operator swings guard so rearwardly which, through contact min as, opens valve 51, thus admitting fluid pressure from the main supply conduit through conduits 5i and $0 to release cylinder so. Release piston rod 50 raises lever 55 into contact with flanged collar E58, returning it to its original position, whereby cam 38 closes valve and opens valve 3!, thus exhausting cylinder it? or the translation motor and permitting spring 26 to return the bed to its forward open position. Simultaneously with the actua-" tion of lever 511 by the release piston rod, lever 53 through pin moved link 41 downwardand, through hell crank so, link 39 and lever 38, caused valve 3?! to close and valve 36 to open, thus exhausting the pressure from cylinder as of the reciprocation motor, whereupon the piston 28, piston rod 3% and bed I! moved downwardly due to the weight of the parts. If the operators 3' 3 hand or arm lies on the bed as it moves to registering relation with the head, it engages the guard and emergency release operation occurs in exactly the same manner as the normal release operation just described. 5

when fluid pressure was exhausted from cylinder l8 through the opening of valve ii, the exhaust fluid passed through conduit I5 and 4 ejector 16, causing a suction in conduit I8, which through coupling members 19 and 80 which 1 werethen in close contact caused evacuation of moisture through discharge conduit 14, connected with the interior oithe hollow buck.

For tandem operation, the operator arranges the lay of the work on bed I! and moves the con- 15 trol handle 35 to its second or abnormal tandem position 3513, which causes the operation of the first press as before described, and in addition, cam 83 rotates sufilciently to cause projection 63' to open valve 62, thus admitting fluid pressure from the main supply conduit, through conduits 64 and 65 to the release cylinder 49a of a second press to open that press.

The arrangement of two presses for tandem operation is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 8, where the parts of the second press are numbered to correspond with the description of the first press except that they carry the sufflx 11".

What I claim is:

1. In a press of the class described, a frame,

, coacting pressing members, one of which is movable relative to the other, power mechanism for actuating the movable member, control means for said mechanism, power means for actuating 35 said control means in press-opening direction, a finger guard mounted on a fixed portion of the Irame adjacent the path of travel of said movable member, and a control member for said power means operable by said finger guard.

2. In a press of the class described, the combination of, coacting pressing members, one of which is movable toward the other, a fluid motor for actuating the movable memben' control valves for said motor, cam means freely movable into difi'erent positions in which it will remain until again moved, means for moving said cam means in one direction for actuating said valves in press-closing direction, and a fluid pressure actuated release memberior moving said cam means in the opposite direction.

3. In a press of the class described, coacting pressing members, one of which has translatory motion into and out of registration with the other and pressure-producing motion with respect to the other to close and open the press, a fluid motor for causing each motion, control valves :fcr each motor, a cam-carrying control shaft for actuating the control valves for the translation motor in into-registration direction, interlocking mechanism ior actuating the control valves tor the pressure-producing motor in press-closing direction after the translation motor has moved the members to registering position, and a common release member for simultaneously moving said control valves in pressopeping and out-oi-registration direction.

i. In presses oi the classdescribed, a plurality of machines each having ccacting pressing memhere, one of winch is movable toward the other, power means for actuating the movable member, and control means for said power means; and each press having a control member having one cam for moving said control means of the first 7 4 aosenso press in press-closin'g-producing direction; and said control member having a second'cam for moving said control means of a second press in press-opening-producing direction.

5. In presses of the class described, a plurality of machines each having coacting pressing members, one of which is movable toward the other, a fluid motor for actuatingthe movable member, inlet and exhaust valves for said motor, a

control member having one position for actuating said valves in one direction, and a fluidpressure-actuated release member for actuatina said valves in the opposite direction, and said control member of one machine having a second position for actuating the release member of another machine.

6. In presses of the class described, a plurality of machines each having coacting pressing members, one of which is movable toward the other, a fluid motor for actuating the movable member, inlet and exhaust valves for said motor, an oscillatable control member having a cam for actuating said valves in one direction, a fluid-pressure-actuated release member for actuating said valves in the opposite direction, and said control member of one machine having a second cam for actuating the release member of another machine.

7. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting relatively movable pressing members, fluid pressure actuated power means for moving one of said members, control valves therefor, fluid pressure actuated release means for a second press, a control valve therefor, all of said control valves beingactuated by a common actuator having one position for operating the first-mentioned control valves, and a second position for operating the last-named control valve.

8. In a press of the class described, a stationary head, a bed having a translatory movement from and into registration with the head and a pressure-producing movement toward the head, a finger guard depending before said head and adjacent the path of travel of said bed during its translatory movement, two fluid motors for causing said bed movements, inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said motors, a control member movable into one position for actuating the valves of the translation motor in into-registration direction, interlocking means arranged to cause actuation of the control valves for the pressure-producing motor in press-closing direction when the bed is in registration with the head, fluid pressure actuated release means for.moving the valves of both motors in press-opening and outof-registration direction, a release valve for controlling the flow of pressure to the release means, said release valve being operable by movement of said finger guard, a tandem valve for admitting fluid pressure to the release means of a second press, and said tandem valve being operable by movement of the control member to a second position 9. In a press of the class described, the combination of coactingrelatively movable pressing members, a fluid motor for actuating one of said members, control valves for said motor, an oscillatable shaft freely movable into different positions in which it will remain until again moved, cams on said shaft for operating said control valves when said shaft is oscillated, a servo-motor, a fluid pressure supply for said servo-motor, control meanstherefor, manual means .for moving said shaft in one dlrcction, and an operative connection between said shaft and said servomotor for moving said shaft in the opposite direction.

10. In a press of the class described, coacting pressing members, one of which is movable substantially horizontally into and out of registration with the other, power mechanism for actuating the movable member, control means for said mechanism, a power operator for moving said 10 control means in out-of-registration-producing direction, a guard movably mounted independently of said movable member and adjacent the path of travel of said movable member, and means having an operative connection with said 15 guard for actuating said power operator when said guard is moved in the general direction of said into-registration movement.

11. In a press of the class described, coacting pressing members, one of which is movable sub- 20 stantially horizontally into and out of registration with the other, power mechanism for actuating the movable member, control means for said mechanism, a fluid motor for moving said control means in out-of-registration-producing di- .25 rection, a normally closed valve for inlet of motive fluid to said motor, a guard movably mounted independently of said movable member and adjacent the path of travel of said movable member, and means having an operative connection 80 with said guard for opening said valve when said guard is moved in the general direction of said into-registration movement.

12. Two presses of the class described, each press having a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, power means at each press for causing relative movement between the pressing members thereof to close and open each press, control mechanism for each power means, a single control member at each press, each control mem- 40 ber having two positions, an operative connection between each control member in one of its positions and the control mechanism of the asso ciated press for causing closing of that press, and operative connections between each control mem- 4 her in the other of its positions and the control mechanisms of both presses, one of said last named connections being eflective to cause pressclosing operation of the associated press, the other of said last named connections being effective to cause press-opening operation of the other press.

13. Two presses of the class described, each press having a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, power means at each press for causing relative movement between the pressing members thereof to close and open each press,- control mechanism for each power means, a power device for moving each control mechanism in a manner to cause press release operation of its associated power means, a single control member at one of said presses, said control member having two positions, operative connections between said control member in each of its positions and the control mechanism of its associated press for causing closing of that press, and an operative connection between said control member in one of its positions and the power device of the other press for causing operation of said device.

14. Two presses of the class described, each press having a pair of coacting relatively movable pressing members, fluid actuated. power means at each press for causing relative movement between the pressing members thereof to close and g open each press, fluid supply means for each power means including control valves at each press, a fluid actuated servo-motor at each press for causing actuation of the associated valves in press-release-producing direction, a control member at one of said presses, said control member having two positions, means whereby said control member in each of its positions causes press-closingproducing movement of the control valves for said power means at the said one press, and means whereby said control member in one only of its positions causes actuation of said servo-motor at 5 the other of said presses.

' ANGUS F. HANNEY. 

